A Simple Kinda Love
by Y2Jen
Summary: In the heat of the action in the Monday Night Wars, McMahon princess Stephanie must lead the WWE to victory over WCW, but she falls for one of their dogs, Chris Jericho. Will this love story end the war or lead to tragedy like a modern day Romeo & Juliet.
1. The Monday Night Wars

**A/N:** _WHOA, do you know how long it's been since I've had time to come online...? Wow I'm so sorry. I haven't had time to finish reading stories and submitting reviews, I'm sooo far behind it's crazy! But I have a new job that has a very short lunch period, so it sucks that I had to give this up. BUT, I will try my hardest to find time at home to get back into the habbit! In the meantime, here's my latest creation, enjoy!  
_

"And this, my children…" Vince spoke as his wife Linda stood with their young kids, Stephanie and Shane. "Is my empire, the WWF." He motioned out the suite window. Stephanie pushed her hands and face up against the glass as she watched Hulk Hogan defeat the Ultimate Warrior in a match… "And one day, this will all be both yours…"

It was a beautiful day out in the WWE headquarter courtyard. The sky was blue, the gentle breeze blew the fluffy white clouds across the horizon. CEO Linda McMahon sat with a proud relaxed smile on the bench as she closed her eyes to enjoy the cool temperature on her break. But all was not peaceful during these times, the Monday night wars were going on strong between themselves and their heated rival called WCW. But she had faith in her company and fellow teammates, one especially headstrong in mind…

"Stephanie? Stephanie." Linda opened her eyes and looked around. She grew nervous when she got no reply, she stood up. "Stephanie!" She gasped and whirled around upon hearing a sound.

"Letting your guard down eh." A burly man snickered.

"What?" Linda gasped, it was a WCW personal scout. 'Oh no, not again!'

"WWE will fail, Eric Bishoff will lead Ted Turner to glory!" He pounded a fist into his hand.

"I'm afraid your are mistaken."

"What?" The stranger whirled around at the voice to see a young 23 year old Stephanie McMahon come out from behind a large rock in the center of the garden. The man was stunned, she was absolutely beautiful, well, for a McMahon that is…

She smirked as the wind picked up at her hair, "I'm determined to see YOU fail."

"Stephanie be careful please!" Linda said this almost winded in a tired voice.

"You don't know who you're messing with." The man begins to advance on her.

"No wait, stop!" Linda rushes towards her daughter for aid.

"No mom." Stephanie didn't turn around but Linda stopped in her tracks. "Stay back." Stephanie leered focused at the man. "I can handle this one by myself." Linda looked concerned but Stephanie just looked angrily at this intruder. "We will win this war."

"You're as stubborn as ever." Stephanie turned to the voice as lead diva Sable walked out from around the corner of the building. "Refusing help from your own mother after all she's taught and given to you."

"Get out of here." Stephanie turned up her nose. "If you choose to get involved, I don't want to protect you…"

"My, I'd appreciate some gratitude here." Sable stood next to her as she faced the man. "I have to protect my job too you know." Stephanie just lowered her brow as Sable grinned back at her. Linda stared surprised at the blonde.

"Hey, aren't I the one you should be arguing with?" The man snickered in amusement at this seemingly power struggle of females. He frankly didn't mind the entertainment.

"I'll tell you what I told my mom, I can handle this myself."

"Insolence. Are you sure it's alright?"

"How many times do I have to tell you, yes."

"I can handle it myself, you should get your mom out of here to someplace safe."

"You don't have to worry about her, she can take care of herself. And so can I."

Sable smiles shrewdly, "How impressive, that a careless woman like yourself would put your pride over the well being of your own mother."

"That's it, I've got dinner plans!" The man grew impatient and charged.

"Look out!" Linda cried out but the man was rushing towards her, she looked around but saw no place to run and hide.

"Get down!" Sable gasped and Linda crouched back, covering her head.

"I got it!" Stephanie jumped up and shoved the man aside with a thrust of her shoulder. Linda finally opens her eyes and looks up to see her daughter. Stephanie turns to him and kicks him in the stomach with her heel. Linda smiled up in awe and amazement, but her eyes are sad. She always wanted her daughter to be strong, but no, not like this. How could a mere power struggle for a nightly rating on television turn into a literal physical war? Sable attacks the man from behind, grabbing his neck around his shoulders. The man is easily taken down by the duo, not giving WCW a good name in that fact. They stand on either side of him as he is on his hands and knees in the dirt. Stephanie gives a determined glare of victory as the defeated man looks up shakily and then runs off. Stephanie closes her eyes in though, 'Yes… I am a McMahon. But is this my destiny?' A strong, proud, and beautifully talented McMahon indeed, as Linda looked up in awe at her daughter. She may have been her daughter, but to Linda, Stephanie was her hero…but there was no way for her nor anyone to know what kind of fate was set out for her in the course of the next few years of her life.

'Curse you. This isn't over, you won't get away with this….'

The Big Show growled to himself, stomping around the backstage area of the arena they had their house show in that night. He looked around, "Where are you?" He turns. "Where did you go you WCW dog! Darn talent scouts." Something flashes in the light and it catches Show's attention and he whirls around ready to kick some WCW ass.

"Right here." The 25 year old blonde jumped up into the air from behind some boxes and crates, Show gasps, taken off guard by surprise. "Take, THIS!" He has the light behind him to blind Big Show as he charges down upon him with a hard blow to the head, knocking him for a loop and causing him to stagger back. The wrestler gave him a chop to the neck from behind, knocking him out as he falls over onto the ground. The young man smirks and clenches a fist in victory, "You fool." His face twitches with a ticked off expression, "Nobody calls me a WCW dog and gets away with it." The scout walks back off down the hall.

Meanwhile, at the Canadian WWE office branch…

"There she is, don't let her get away." A man's voice called, a blonde woman was rushing down the halls, she growled and turned around, then kept on going as the group of men gave chase. "After her, we've got her cornered!"

They were right, the young woman gasped as she came to a dead end, "Darn."

"There you are." One of the men announced as she turned around with a defensive growl. The lead man in charge stepped forward, he looked to be in about his early 40's, with dirty golden colored hair, slightly long with bangs. "I'm in charge up here, and I will not let any WCW talent scout wrestlers up here on my watch." He growls.

"You won't get away with this, WCW will win this Monday night war!" The diva stood tall. "My name is Stacy Keibler!"

"Take her to the detention cell, we have to call security." The man in charge nodded.

"Yes sir Mr. Stratus." One of the others nodded as they advanced on her, cuffing her hands with theirs behind her back as they led her off.

Mr. Stratus turns as they disappear down the hall, a cat jumps up into his arms and meow's, he smiles, "Hey there Boomerang. Why don't you go back with Trish now? I'm sure she'll be getting lonely without you." He began to walk back off towards his office.

"Mr. Stratus! Mr. Stratus!" His walkie talkie shakes on his belt from the nervous tone.

He stops and turns as he lifts it to his face and chirps, "Hm? What is it? What's the matter?"

"It's that Stacy girl, come quick!"

"The confinement room?" He gasps and goes to rush over. He reaches the door where the man on the two way has a worried expression on his face. "What happened? What's going on?"

"Please sir." He asks in desperation.

"What's wrong?"

"You have to get in there, something's going on, she's snapped and gone crazy, she tried to attack your daughter!"

"What!" Mr. Stratus growls in shock. He throws the door open to see her standing on a chair, the table shoved down aside on the floor. One of the men holds his arm as the other is in the middle to intervene. "What is the meaning of this!" Mr. Stratus barks.

"Dad!" Trish whirls around, she was toned and absolutely beautiful. She was about 24.

"Are you alright?" He rushes to her side and Boomerang jumps from his arms to hers.

"Yes dad of course, I'm fine." She looks up at him, holding their cat.

Stacy looks up ferociously as Mr. Stratus glared at her, "You could've been great under Ted Turner as his winged man, but you had to leave and help the McMahon's, then the Monday night wars started. It's all your fault, your daughter will never become a diva! WWE will go out of business!" The fiery Abyssinian cat Boomerang hisses at her.

"Security!" A guard rushes to the scene and enters the doorway.

"Good, remover her from my sight." Mr. Stratus growls deeply.

"You bastard!" Stacy lunges at Trish and throws the chair at her.

"Hey, whoa!" Trish gasps in shock.

"Look out!" Her dad ducks her head but it narrowly hits him on his shoulder. "Ah!"

"Restrain her!" The guard cries as the other men get on top of her.

"This isn't over, oh contraire." Stacy snarls as she is handcuffed by the security man and pulled away. "Oh no, this has just barely begun!"

"Dad!" Trish gasps and reaches at him for aid.

"Are you alright sir?" The other man came over to him concerned.

"Yes, I'll be fine." He opens his eye and looks at his hand as he takes it off the wound to check for blood. He looks up and sighs sadly to himself as he wonders, "Why did it ever have to come to this…? Who would've ever known that one night's worth of money and ratings could lead to a war?" He sighed, this wasn't the world he wanted for his daughter.

"Me, I did." The other injured man raised his good arm.

Mr. Stratus leers at him with frustration and fatigue, "Shut up…" He sighs and looks around in thought. "All of this betrayal and secrecy and talent scouts sneaking into the other side… it's all gone on long enough, and it must stop before something happens."

Trish stepped up to him, "What are you going to do dad?"

He sighed and furrowed his brow, "I have to go see the McMahon's…"

Back with the McMahon's…

"I suppose you're going to travel with the wrestlers again?" The pampered diva Sable asks the ladies. "I'm sure they can take care of themselves if any scout should arrive."

The McMahon women stop as Stephanie turns to look over her shoulder. "We don't have to explain our reasons for departure to you."

"Very well then." Sable bows her head in acceptance as the two turn to go again. "But are you sure about this? You aren't a diva like I am, you can't fight. You only have a cunning business mind, much like your mother who has taught you."

Stephanie stops again but doesn't turn this time, "Then you don't seem to know me at all Sable…"

She starts to go again but Sable's voice stops her once more, "You know Stephanie, as a fellow WWE diva I feel I should give you some advice."

"Oh and what's that?"

"As a diva you can never achieve your real talent and power until you throw away your feelings, listening to your heart can blind your eyes and your mind from the truth, the reality, and the safeties of the world. But as women, we are only cursed to fall in love."

Finally Stephanie turns to face Sable and her speech, "You can't possibly think that would happen to me. Fall in love, you can't be serious. Any superstar would fear to touch me for risk of loosing their job should the relationship not work out. My father's wrath."

"But that's not what I mean." Sable smiled slyly and Stephanie stared back at her. "Just remember, not to fall in love, with any man… even if you think he loves you. For if you ever meet and fall for such a man, a cruel and tragic fate will befall upon you."

Stephanie smiles to herself and closes her eyes as she turns to actually leave this time, "How fictional. I'll try and keep that warning in mind."

Sable watches them go with an evil smirk, "Hmph."

"Wow, that sure was some advice." Linda blinks.

Stephanie opens her eyes, "Curses to her, that was no advice, more like a threat if you ask me." She swore under her breath.

"She is such a complicated woman." Linda turns to her daughter who walks firmly next to her without any emotion on her face. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Don't worry about it." Stephanie replies stubbornly. "There's no way I would ever fall in love."

Meanwhile…

"We won't let you get away this time WCW dog!" Big Show roared in the hall, this time accompanied by the equally large WWE superstar Viscera.

Viscera looks around, "I'll help you get revenge for that bastard attacking you, no WCW superstar gets back here and lives to tell about it I tell ya that."

"Yeah."

Hiding in the storage closet, the very same young blonde growls with gritted teeth as he holds his injured arm closely to his body, "Great." He says with a worried expression. "How could I have figured he'd have an even larger ally?"

"There you are!" Viscera opens the janitor closet door.

"Wah ah!" He gasps and looks up horrified as Viscera lunges for him with a right fist. But he dodges just barely by rolling out of the way from under him.

"What, darn you!" Big Show roars as their prey flees. "You're not getting away this time!"

"Go away!" The man pants heavily from around the corner, he holds his injured arm tightly with his other hand. "Or I'll have to resort to something tricky like this!" He jumps back around from behind the wall and rams Viscera back into the Big Show, squishing the already injured giant up against the wall.

"Damn you!" Viscera gets up and charges at the mongrel. "Who do you think you are WCW dog?"

The man does a very high jump and flips in the air, landing feet first on Viscera taking him down, "You got a problem with me being a WCW dog, bitch?" He swished his long blonde ponytail over his shoulder with his good hand arrogantly. Viscera is in shock at this man's talent. He jumps up not as high this time, "Take that!" He kicks Viscera with an enzeguri and knock shim out alongside his fallen comrade. They both groan in agony and defeat. He stands up in victory but a sharp stinging pain pierces through his injured arm and he cries out, "Ah, damnit. They don't have big guys like you in WCW that strong…." He looks around growling. "I have to get better if I'm going to win this."

That dark night…

"Hello?" Stephanie opens her cell phone, she's in the arena after the house show is over.

"Honey, it's mom. Somebody came here looking for us."

"Who?"

"The receptionist back at the headquarters said his name was Mr. Stratus and that he had a Canadian accent."

"Oh, I see." Stephanie began to think.

"You'd better hurry, the sun has set and it's dark out. I don't want something to happen to you if you stay out too long by yourself."

"Don't worry mom, I just want to get something from the office before I come back. I've got my room key, I'll be fine alright?" She hangs up and closes the door to the office and locks it, heading back to the hotel. She picks up her mom and they drive back to the headquarters where like the man promised, he had returned.

"Hello, my name is Mr. Stratus."

"So, like I thought." Stephanie looked him up and down. "You're the man in charge of the Canadian branch in Toronto."

"That is correct miss."

"What can we do for you sir?" Linda asked, seated behind the executive desk in the office.

"We've been having WCW break ins, this is really getting too far out of hand."

"I agree. Things have become dangerously serious, and it has me worried."

"What do you propose we do Mrs. McMahon?"

"Well sir, I don't think there is much we can do until a resolution works itself out."

"And that resolution being?"

"WCW ratings fall, they loose money and go out of business."

"That's risky…"

"I know but it's our only best bet we've got right now. What else?"

"But mom, then what of the superstars? They'll be coming to us either for a job, or to exact revenge."

"She's right."

"Yes I suppose she is." Linda began to think. "I guess all we can do is be careful and play things by ear. And if you're forced to use force, use digression when necessary."

"Right… I'll do that." Mr. Stratus nods. "Thank you for your time." He is about to leave but then stops. "Here, I want you to have this." He opens his hands and reveals something to Stephanie as he walks over. "My family, employees and I want to thank you for giving us this continual opportunity with your company amid all of this. This ring was a gift from my daughter, she wishes to one day become a WWE diva and help stop this war. She really is dedicated and admiring of you and has a great passion for your company."

Stephanie smiles, "Thank you." She takes it, it's a bit too big for herself, but she accepts it with kindness.

"I look forward to our next meeting, hopefully it will be with much better news." He goes this time.

Stephanie looks down at the ring in her hand, if only peace were such a simple enough option in grasp to be as easy an exchange as her accepting this ring. Linda looked at her daughter, little did they know how that very ring could in fact change her daughter's destiny dramatically. She sighs… this kind of fate was not the life for every 23 year old, most young ladies are just out of college, out to enjoy the world before getting a job. Shopping with friends, going out on dates with boys, but Stephanie didn't even have much time to even get her hair done anymore. Linda would often see her gazing at girls putting on make up in salons when they would be walking in the city. Linda felt sorry for her, granted she was beautiful, but it was all because of the feuding when the Monday night wars started that she grew up so fast. That night, the rain clouds began to gather…

Early the next day, just after sunrise…

The same man was rushing around the arena, he had lost his way sneaking around in the dark after hours and had found his way back outside, "Damnit!" He began to swear under his breath, the rain was starting to fall from the dark clouds in the morning sky. "I have to hurry." He gritted his teeth together angrily. He began to sneeze.

"Ah!"

"What was that?" He turns to the woman's scream. "It sounded like it came from inside." He sneaks through the parking area garage and is able to make his way inside through the underground tunnel leading into the arena from the parking structure. He wipes his nose and shakes off the water from his shivering body as he looks around. "There's something there…" He sneaks over and hears commotion as he gathers, the dirty smell of sweat from fighting is in the air. He gets a feeling in his chest and tries to hold it in, but he starts coughing. "Darn." He gasps but luckily it didn't give him away, the sounds of arguing cover it up. He peers around the corner and gasps as he sees some fellow WCW stars, and behind a corner in his direction is a beautiful young brunette woman, only two years younger than himself. "Wait, who is she?" He squints and overhears their conversation.

"You can't hide forever. You won't get away!" One of them growls. "Darn, we must've lost her…"

The other turns to him, "Come on let's get outa here before we attract any attention."

"Right." They run off. After a few moments, Stephanie looks around the corner, panting, very wary and battered. The man is in awe as he continues to watch her from in hiding.

"Please, I don't want to fight anymore…"

"Huh?"

"I never have…" Stephanie sighed as she closed her eyes, she didn't have the strength to protect herself physically anymore.

"She knows I'm here?" The man was in shock and turned around. Stephanie turned towards his direction but he knew she couldn't see him. "But how did she sense me?" Suddenly he gasps and lurches, holding his breath and trying to keep it in, but no luck, he keels at the waist as he coughs. "Damn." That's how…

"Take care now, you must've caught a little cold from that storm out there." She wears a weak smile as she closes her eyes. "How long do you intend to hide back there? Are you shy? Well, you'd better not slack off on the job, or next time WWE comes around you won't be able to clean up after us."

"Wait." The man thought to himself. "She doesn't know I'm a wrestler, she thinks I'm in the arena staff?" He glared over his shoulder back at her from his hiding place.

Stephanie raises an eyebrow, "Or maybe you're after me too? Another WCW star. If you aren't however, then you have nothing to fear from me." The man remained perfectly still and didn't respond, he could tell just by looking at this woman that he didn't want to mess with her. Stephanie sighed, "No…" She smiled. "I don't sense that in your presence." She went to leave. "If any WCW star wanted to live, they'd better stay outa my way." She stopped in her tracks and fell to her knees, her body shaking in pain. The man gasped but still didn't move. She was hurt, she fell onto the ground in pain.

"Hey, wait!" Finally he jumped out from hiding and rushed over with concern without thinking. But she was unconscious as he knelt down beside her. "Wow…" He looked down at the woman, she was amazing, so beautiful. "Is she a diva? She doesn't look strong enough, unless she could be…" His eyes widen.

"Stephanie, Stephanie?"

"Wha oh!" The man gasps at the alarming cry and rushes off to hide in the nearby storage room.

"Where is that daughter of mine?" Linda comes into view at the end of the hall, shaking off her umbrella. She gasps with high concern as she sees the slumped body on the floor at the other corner. "Stephanie!"

"Is that you mom?" Stephanie asks weakly as her eyes shake and then open slightly.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She sits up. She looks around the room, no longer sensing the man in his hiding spot. She smiles, now realizing that he in fact was a WCW star. She closes her eyes, "So, he left me be after all huh… I suppose I still have a little bit of luck left on my side after all." She leaned her head back against the wall with a slight sigh of relief.

Meanwhile…

"Nothing can hold me back from my cause, not some detention cell, nor any security guard." Stacy smirked as she crept from behind the ally and onto the street. She'd been flown in to Connecticut to face punishment, but escaped. "The WWE will fail, and I will make sure to ensure my part in helping reach that resolution." She continues to walk down the street in the rain and passes by the arena across the street from the hotel.

The man smiles as he notices her pass, relaxing nonchalant up against a wall, "So, she's in on it too huh…" He smiled. "I guess even the weakest diva and superstar are strong enough in loyal spirit to help our cause and carry out our common goal." The image of Stephanie on the ground flashed through his mind. "So that really was Stephanie McMahon then… she's the one everyone's going after. So I guess I should be too….?" He sighed in thought, then cleared his throat and tapped his chest with the brunt of his fist. "Damn cold. Man I need a smoke…" He walked off, slouching, hands pocketed.


	2. Believe

That afternoon, after the rainstorm ended….

"This really is a nice gift, it's pretty…" Stephanie looked at the ring from Mr. Stratus. "Maybe I should take it to a jeweler…?" She contemplated.

"Stephanie!"

"Hm?" She turned at the call of her voice. She turns to see a stranger, yet he seems so familiar.

The man smirks at her, "So, you really are Stephanie McMahon after all." He tore the band out of his ponytail, letting his shaggy hair fall behind his shoulders.

Stephanie thinks to herself before replying, "I know I've heard that voice before." She stares at the ruggedly handsome man, who wears a mischievous grin on his face. She puts on her poker face, "So it is, you're the man with the cold from this morning." He gulps and freezes, wow she was good.

He growls and clenches a fist, "Look, I don't care about that. You're looking better now, and as a WCW superstar that means you are my enemy!"

"So you are one after all, like I thought…" Stephanie smiled to herself. "I just don't feel it in you, what I can sense deep within all the others who have come after me."

"Spare me." The man snarls and charges at her with a battle cry. But she's fast, she dodges and he is thrown into the wall behind a dumpster. "What the…!" He gasps as she pins it up against his torso, trapping him pinned between that and the wall. "Hey!" He sure as hell didn't expect that!

"Nice try. I may not be a diva, but as a McMahon I have to learn quickly how to fend for myself you know, both in body and in mind."

"Damn you." He struggles to get free, wiggling his shoulders to get his arms out from under it.

"Don't waste my time." Stephanie wears a frustrated expression. She sighs, "So I see…"

"Huh?"

"You have potential, you are much different than every other WCW superstar whose come after me and my family."

"Yeah, you've mentioned that…"

"So far scouts have come to steal talent and others have come to hurt me."

"So?"

"I've yet to see you talk to any wrestler, and earlier when I fainted, you let me be."

"So…" The man gulped, getting a little bit nervous.

She looked at him, "You're Canadian…"

"Got a problem with it?" He continues to try hard to break free, she's making him angry. "I'll have you know I was born in New York, so I'm also an American okay!"

"No." She smiled. "I just like the sound of your voice."

"Oh, thanks." He muttered under his breath. "I get compliments about my talking a lot."

"I'll bet you'll sound better without that cold and those cigarettes in your pocket."

"Hey, shut up, mother!" His growl made Stephanie giggle quietly to herself. He really was different than the others.

"Why do you want to get rid of me anyway?"

"What?" The man stopped and thought, he really didn't know, he was following orders like he saw everyone else do. To be honest he didn't really have a place, his contract with WCW was only a temporary trial, to see if they liked him. He wanted to earn his keep and keep his job as a professional wrestler.

"So the WWE will fail and WCW will prosper." Stephanie suggested the thought.

"I don't care who I work for, I just want to be a pro-wrestler, I only care for myself!"

"So I see…"

"Either way, I will do what it takes to ensure the best for me and my well being!"

Stephanie turns to go, "And should you ever cross my path again, WCW superstar… you won't live to tell about it… you will live to regret it."

"Wait!" His voice stops her. "You say that now, but why not act now? You have me right where you want me."

"Because." She glanced back at him. "You spared me, now I spare you…"

"Huh?" He watched her go. Sure, he knew she was the enemy, but still, she was just so amazing…!

Stephanie and Linda continued to travel with the WWE rather than staying at the headquarters where Sable held the fort down with the McMahon men. More WCW people came after them, but time after time they were foiled and sent away as failures.

"Come on mom." Stephanie sat up on the hotel bed and Linda looked over at her. "Let's go back home now."

"Okay." Linda smiles, so they pack their things and leave. They go outside and call for their rental.

Stephanie hangs up the phone and sighs, "You." She says the one word very annoyed.

"Huh?" Linda turns towards Stephanie but then looks past her to see a wrestler.

He stands with a confident smirk as he holds up a fist, opening and closing it in flexing, "So we meet again Miss McMahon."

"Ms. McMahon or Mrs. McMahon."

"Shut up." The man grumbles as Stephanie steps in front of her mother.

"Look here now you." She speaks up as Linda continues to watch her every move out of curiosity.

"I won't give up." The man stood and spoke in a very determined voice. "This will end, today."

"Well, you're right about that." Stephanie smirked.

The man points, "First get that old bat outa here, don't want the scene of a fight to scare her to death. Not that I care or anything…" He smirks.

"Mom, step aside, go out of the way for just a moment."

"But…"

"Trust me, I'll be fine. I promise you that." Stephanie glances back at her. Linda nods and goes up the stairs under the balcony over the hotel lobby doors.

The man thinks to himself as he watches the beauty, "Not a diva, yet so powerful as a McMahon…" He pumps up his fists, arms down by his side.

Stephanie stares at the handsome man as she thinks, "Just a man looking for a place in the world, his contract may read WCW, but I do not feel it deep down within his heart…" She crouches back down in a fighting stance, but before moving she speaks up, "I'm glad to hear that you're health has returned. First, there's something I want to ask of you."

"Yeah? What is it."

"Why didn't you have your way with me last night? I was there, an easy target for you, or anyone else for that matter. Are you one not to kick a person when they're down? Nobility and honor. That's not a WCW superstar trait you know…"

"Yeah." The man blinks. "I'm not the kind to do something so underhanded like that."

"I see." Stephanie chuckles to herself.

"What's so funny!" The man demands in an angry voice.

Stephanie points her finger right at him in his face in warning, "There is one last thing I want to ask of you, WCW dog."

He growls, "Oh, and what's that might be?"

"You must at least have a name don't you? Other than mongrel scout that is. Even though you are one."

"Hey, shut up."

"So tell me, tell me your name then! And I will never call you a WCW dog again!"

"Stop saying that! It's all I hear, again and again, over and over….!" He yells as he becomes increasingly enraged at her taunting.

"Then tell me!"

The man pauses in thought for a second, before muttering, "Chris…. Chris Jericho."

"Chris Jericho." She repeats back. "I will remember that." Chris goes to advance, but Stephanie steps forward and the intimidation stops him. He gulps as he prepares for the worst, how could he strike a lady after all, now that he was thinking about it? But she lowers her hand and turns her back. "Now go."

"Hey…" He speaks up as she starts to go off towards Linda. "Why didn't you finish me off?"

"Be gone with you!" She turns abruptly. "I don't want to waste anymore time. Come on mom."

"Okay." Linda comes down as the car pulls up, they both get in and it drives off.

"Driver, to the airport please." Stephanie speaks up.

"Yes mam." He replies and obeys.

Linda was silent, she could see Chris in the passenger side mirror, still standing there watching them go. She wonders to herself, why didn't she finish him off? It was a mystery to her. Why didn't she respond to him like she did to every other WCW superstar that she came by? That night, and every night after, Stephanie would seem to shower even longer. Was it to cleans herself of that first failure, realizing herself that she couldn't finish him off? Almost every day as it would seem, Stephanie would sense Chris or see him lurking around her, watching, but yet he never revealed himself or went to attack. Was that his purpose, was he just a simple scout out to get secrets rather than talent? No WWE superstar knew of him, so she knew that he never went to try and steal them over to the WCW side of wrestling. So what was his deal anyway then?

Linda was at a street corner flower shop, "These are pretty, I'll get some for Stephanie." She went to select some.

"I know you." A female gasped and Linda looked up. "You're Linda McMahon!" She screams as she grabs her arm before she can run.

"Don't hurt me!"

"Oh don't worry, I'm just going to use you as ransom." Stacy snickered coldly.

"Outa the way!"

"Huh?" Linda turned to the familiar voiced and ducked as a shadow jumped from the sunlight and shoved Stacy aside to free her. "Chris!" She gasped upon seeing him.

"Chris!" Stacy gasps in shock, he may not have been well known by many, but she barely recognized him enough to know they were allies.

"You don't think I would let you have the glory now would you?" He shoves her shoulder and she staggers back.

"Damn you, you won't get away with this!" She growls and runs off.

"Feh." He snorts and pumps his fists again, flexing. "You'll never tell…"

"Thank you." Linda smiles, and Chris looks down curiously, yet annoyed. "You saved me, you're a protector!"

"Don't say that…" He closes his eyes, ticked off. "You're misunderstood." He opens his eyes and looks away. "I just don't want anyone else to be the hero in this battle." Linda continues to gaze strangely at this man, if he wanted to be the one to lead the fight to victory, why didn't he take her hostage instead? Maybe that just wasn't his plan…?

Later…

Stephanie is sitting in the same headquarter courtyard, the wind is blowing her hair as she sits relaxed on the bench among the green grass. "I know you're there, aren't you Chris."

"Huh?" Chris looks out from behind the tree.

"Come on out now." She turns with a smile. "Come join me wont you?" Chris soon finds himself sitting across from her on the furthest end of the bench, sitting stiffly and giving her an uncomfortable look as she continues to gaze relaxed up at the sky. "This is really the first time we've talked up close."

"So, what of it?" He grumbles.

She turns and continues to smile, "I want to thank you, I hear you saved my mother."

"Oh, that." Chris pouts and turns away. "That was just a…"

"Still, I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude towards you."

"Humph, stop talking so dignified. You smell like a fighter you know… Don't do something that's not like you."

"I'm not sure how to take that, what you mean by it." They're quiet for a moment as the wind blows and they continue to stare out into space. "Chris. What do I look like to you?"

"What?"

"Do I look like a woman? An ordinary young lady? Do I look like a business person? Or like you say, like a fighter."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

She faces him as she explains, "I intend to show my weakness to nobody, not even to my own family. If I were to, anyone could get the better of me or use them against me. I don't want to be the one responsible for my families company's downfall. Even though I'm a woman, I'm no ordinary young lady… I come from a line of business people, and yet with this war I'm thrust into the destiny to live the life of a diva, fighting for her right to exist in this world. You and I are alike. You may be a pro-wrestler on the other side, but you aren't a WCW superstar. I don't sense it in you. Even if WCW were to win, that doesn't guarantee you a permanent career within their company walls you know. We're both different. In a place that's not for us. And, I guess that's why I let you go."

"What, that's it? Stop making excuses." Chris pouts at the complicated explination. "That's not like you." He gets up, turning to walk away, but he stops and glances back at her.

She smiles thoughtfully, "I thought not. That isn't like me at all, is it?" Chris watches as she stands up. She smiles, "Chris."

Chris looks confused, "What?"

Stephanie turns around, "It's nothing…" She starts to go.

Chris gazes at her, he goes to say her name but it doesn't come out…. "Hey." She stops. "Come back here tomorrow okay?" She turns around, and he tries not to blush. "I have something I want to give you."

Stephanie is surprised, but she smiles back, "Okay. There's something I want to give you too."

"The WWE world title!" Chris salivated like a dog.

"No way….! It's something better than that."

Chris gets excited, "Hey, alright." He makes a sexy face and eyes her playfully.

"No it's not that you whore!" Stephanie laughs for the first time.

"Humph." Chris turns away, hands on his hips in disappointment. "Yeah, yeah…"

That night…

"Stephanie, what are you doing?" Linda asks as she looks through the doorway of her daughter's bedroom at their mansion. She is stringing the ring from Mr. Stratus on a chain. She positions it around her neck to see if the length is long enough for a person to wear as a necklace.

"Mom?" Stephanie looses focus as she finally notices her standing there.

"Is that the ring from Mr. Stratus?"

"Yeah…"

Linda comes in and watches her as she strings the thin chain, she blinks, "You're going to give that to Chris aren't you." Stephanie stopped as Linda stood over her watching.

She looks up at her with her eyes as she chuckles a bit, amused, "Sort of… I'm gonna trick him, it might be sneaky and devious but it's for his own good. I have to prevent him from doing something wrong or betraying me even. I will give it to him as a promise, and call him my beloved…."

Linda just stared at her in disbelief at this, "Are you sure you don't need sleep….?" But Linda couldn't help but realize something, this was the first time in a long time that an actually expression of happiness was worn across the face of her daughter.

"Now that I think about it…" Stephanie leans back as she sets it down on the dresser top. "That bitch Sable cursed at me that day we first left… as if making an evil premonition."

"You watch too many of those weird movies Stephanie."

"It's not unlikely for me, the daughter of a McMahon, of a successful millionaire to suffer some tragedies in love life because of what's attached to my name. So why bother worrying, I'm going to have to risk it here."

"Stephanie…" Linda sighs and stares at her.

The next day, in the courtyard…

Chris is standing before Stephanie as he hands her a small case and she asks, "What is it?"

"There's no point in me keeping it." Chris explains as she opens it. "That's why I'm giving it to you." She looks in and sees make up. "My mom left it behind when she died, it's one of the only things I have left from her… other than the name she gave me. My mom loved to watch wrestling, as did I…. We always watched WWF together when I was little, then she died and my dad didn't like wrestling, so I never go to see it as much anymore… then when I want to training, all that there was for me as far as options to go work for, was WCW, and that was because at the time, there was no WWE branch in Canada like there is now in Toronto."

"Oh, I see." Stephanie blinked, then she sighed and looked down at the case in her hands. "I can't take this, something so valuable and precious to you."

Chris turns away, "Don't worry about it. I have my name and my memories, that's good enough… sides, I'm not a transvestite, what do I do with it?" Stephanie giggled again. She walks over towards him and grabs his hand. "Huh?" Chris turns to her confused by this sudden gesture.

"I'm sorry." She says in an apologetic tone. "I had no idea your name meant so much to you, and here all this time I kept calling you, well, you know…"

"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it. It's cool." Chris brushes it off. "Don't worry about it." Finally he smiles, a bit excited, "So, what are you going to give me?"

Stephanie hesitates, feeling very ashamed now about her plan from last night. She opens her purse and reaches in, her hand around the ringed necklace, but she stops and pulls her hand out empty, "Oh, you know what? I think I may have forgotten it. I'm sorry."

"Oh, okay…" Chris sighs with disappointment. "I was really looking forward to it. At least I have you here…"

"Aw." Stephanie smiles down at the case she holds in her hands, and then she puts it in her purse. She turns very happy to him as he blushes. "So, are you sure I can have it?"

"It's fine." Chris assures again, opening his eyes, a more welcoming feeling in them now.

That clear starry night…

Chris is sleeping in his hotel room, Stephanie is sleeping in her bedroom at home…

A wicked tone snickers, 'Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon…'

In the McMahon mansion, Linda is in the kitchen downstairs getting a drink. The room is dark except for the light from the refrigerator, but just then a light clicks on. She gasps and turns to see Stephanie in the bathroom. She creeps over quietly and notices her looking at herself in the mirror, brushing her hair out nicely with a happy grin across her face. On the counter by the sink is the case from Chris's mother. She begins to apply the make up carefully on her face. Linda never realized how beautiful her daughter could be, when she was happy… Stephanie gazes into the mirror in awe at the beauty she sees for the first time. But still, Linda could see, that sadness in her eyes…

Chris is leaning in the shadows against the tree in the courtyard, the leaves are no longer green, time has come and gone, they are autumn colors. Stephanie encountered WCW personnel often, they would attack but Chris would always be there to come to her aid. And yet nothing ever happened to him for it, like they would get revenge on him. His eyes are closed as he is deep in thought as the cold air blew the dandy lion seeds.

"Come on Stephanie, play with us!" Two twin little girls are tugging on her hands.

"Alright, alright." Stephanie sighs, having to baby sit the twin sisters Melissa and Marissa was something she had to do often for their receptionist. She picked up the ball, "So what game would you like to play now?" She smiles as she senses the presence again. She looks over with a calming grin, "You want to come over and join us?"

Chris comes out and sits down on the bench, "Don't be ridiculous." He folds his arms and turns away, closing his eyes.

"Let's play in the flowers!" The girls push and pull Stephanie into the bushes down the path. Chris turns and gazes at her through his slightly open eyes.

Later…

"You know mom, you've really taught me a lot, and I can't thank you enough for that." Stephanie was saying as they ate lunch at a cafe across the street.

"But you've far surpassed me and what I could ever imagine teaching you, if anything, I'm the one who should've been learning." Linda smiled as she set down her glass. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks."

"You know…" Linda speaks up, remembering seeing Stephanie putting on the make up at night in the dark by herself in the bathroom that first time. She smiles, "Stephanie…"

"What is it?"

Linda shakes her head, "Oh, nothing…"

Stephanie is a little confused, but accepts it, "Alright." She gets up. "I'm going to go pay the bill now."

"Very well then." Linda nodded. She took one final sip from her glass and set it down empty. She sighed, it was a long time since Stephanie had started putting on that make up at night, but she just wanted to see the best for her daughter, for her to be happy, and to be beautiful, for her to be all that she knew she truly and deeply wanted to be. She wanted to help her, and she thought she was the only one who felt that way, but she wasn't…

Chris Jericho was walking down the street, he passed by the bistro and glanced over at Stephanie from the corner of his eye. She didn't notice him as she paid her bill, nor did Linda. Stephanie smiled and laughed with the waiter as she headed back towards her mother to leave. Chris snorted and rubbed his nose arrogantly, digging his hands into his pockets as he walked off down the road again and out of sight around the corner…


	3. Beautiful Day

Time had gone on, about four years of the Monday night wars and still nobody was the victor… however, the battle had finally seen it's first casualty, it had nearly taken the life of the WWE itself when it hit home… when it hit Vince McMahon…

"Stephanie…" Vince uttered in his sleep. He was bedridden and bandaged. He was strong and would physically be able to get over it, but mentally, for his family, it was a scar hit too close to heart for comfort. One of his eyes was covered with a patch, it had been hit and he was nearly blinded, the doctors didn't think they could save it. "Linda, Shane…" Vince cringed in his dreams, tossing and turning in his mind.

Stephanie came into the dark bedroom carrying a tray with soup and a bottle of medicine, "Dad, are you awake?" She whispered as she quietly crept over to his bedside. She sat down on the chair and looked down at him and sighed. "I'm sorry dad…"

"Stephanie…" This time Vince's eye fluttered open slightly. "Is that you, are you there?"

"Yes." She turned on the light, he squinted, then saw her clearly.

"Stephanie!"

"Here dad, I brought you something to eat. And you're due for some more medicine."

"You baby me too much you know." Vince tried to sat up but the pain shot through his body to prevent him.

"Careful dad." Stephanie set down the bowl.

"I'm fine, I can get up and move around."

"Not according to the doctors." She fed him a spoonful of soup.

Vince swallowed it and looked at her, "Stephanie?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you doing this?" He asked and she froze. "Why do you do this for me?" He wondered aloud at her. "After all that I've put this company through, you kids through, and your mother… with Sable and all, and then this. I don't think she and Shane can ever love me again. So then why do you, continue to be there for me…?"

Stephanie blinked quietly, she was shocked that he would say something like that, but she smiled softly, "Because dad… you're my dad, and you always will be. No matter what happens, I promise I will always love you, no matter what."

"Stephanie…" Vince smiled.

"Now come on and eat up before it gets cold." Stephanie went back to feeding him. Very few people outside the family knew of Vince's near fatal injuries, she never ever thought about telling Chris. She knew he wouldn't be able to handle it and keep it quite down. Now with Vince incapacitated possibly indefinitely, it was now up to her to be the boss. Stephanie got up and looked back at Vince, who was now asleep. She sighed and turned off the light, going to the door, "Yes I am a McMahon… but is this really my destiny…?"

As those four years had gone on, through the thick and thin, rain or shine, Chris was always there with Stephanie. Not always in public, he was still under WCW contract and to them a scouting dog. WCW superstars would come to attack and Chris would step in if Stephanie couldn't handle it alone, or if Linda was by herself and couldn't protect herself. Nobody ever came after him, but he was always protecting the lady McMahon's. None of them ever thought anything of it, it just seemed so natural, with him there, together. But there was one time, a battle that Stephanie had to face alone and by herself…

Sable stepped into the courtyard garden, in full springtime bloom of flowers, and smiled as she saw the back of her rival facing her, "You know Stephanie… I'd warned you all those years ago, not to fall in love." Stephanie turned slightly at that remark. Sable smirked, "You've been blinded by the feelings in your heart, you can't think and operate as a lady in this business now with this WCW man you're infatuated with. I was closer to Vince than you or your mom, I should be the one to take control and be in charge!"

"You? Closer to him than my family and our name?" Stephanie turned in seeming slow motion she was so angry. "I refuse to believe that YOU could ever be close to him after leaving him alone to be attacked and abandoning him in his hour of need!" She ran to strike her.

"Please! I'm a diva!" Sable got into a pose and rushed over with a punch of her own. "Take…"

"THIS!" Stephanie ducked, causing Sable to gasp in surprise as Stephanie swung up with a powerful uppercut and hit her right smack in her pretty little face.

"AH!" Sable fell and landed on her knees, holding her eye, sobbing, "My eye, you've ruined my beautiful face!" She growled up at her, having a bad black eye. "This isn't over, you'll pay for this, I'll see to myself for that!" She roared and stormed off. Stephanie just watched her go, a leer written all across her face, how dare she…

Vince McMahon lay in his bed, he was asleep yet he was conscious. He dreamed of the things he yearned for, the things he wanted, his vision of a perfect world that had shattered in the midst of the Monday night wars. He dreamed of a dominantly popular WWE with Sable as the women's champion and Triple H as the world heavyweight champion and his daughter was happy, she was on top of the world and standing right next to him as head of the company. But there was a tear hidden in secret in the back of his shut eye, because he knew that because of the way things had worked out that it could never be. Stephanie wasn't happy, his dream was dead, and he knew there was only one man to blame for it…

Linda McMahon walked past the weight room down the hall and stopped, looking in. She looked around and saw it empty so she walked inside and sat down. She looked at one of the smaller dumbbells on the floor and picked it up. It was a bit heavy at first but she continued to pump the iron and smiled as she got better and better with each rep. She concentrates as she lifts the weight.

"Wow mom." The voice caused Linda to gasp and look up to see Stephanie smiling. "It looks like you're really practicing to become stronger."

"Oh, yes." She blushed and stood up, dusting off her skirt.

"You're concentrating, that's good. You have to focus and work very hard as you raise the weight." She picked up a heavier one.

Linda smiled, "I'm just so proud of you, you impress me so much, I wish I could be more like you, but I couldn't ever be as strong as you are."

"Mom, you taught me all that I know, you're the strongest person I've ever known." Stephanie smiled warmly, causing Linda to smile back.

"Look out, look out!" A man cried as he ran down the hall, causing them to both gasp. "It's another attack, they got into the building!"

"Oh no, not again." Stephanie growled as she ran out of the room, Linda behind her.

"There he is!" One of the security men pulled out a taser. "Stay back, I'm warning you!"

"Please, that's nothing." The man growled as he easily shoved the smaller man down and looked up to notice the McMahon's.

"I'll give you a chance to escape, I'm really not in the mood for this right now." Stephanie sighed with frustration as she pushed Linda out of the way back towards the door.

"You don't give the orders here, not to me." The man snorted.

"But I do with you."

"Huh?" The man turned around to see Chris Jericho cracking his knuckles.

"You don't have a chance… IN HELL!" He roared and punched him, causing him to stagger back.

"You bastard…!"

"Stephanie, get your mom outa here!"

"Alright." Stephanie nodded. "Come on mom, we'd better let Chris handle this one."

"Right." Linda nodded.

"Not so fast, old lady." The man turned.

"What?" Linda gasped, frozen in fear as the man dove for her and caused her to fall backwards against the wall. "Ah… ow!"

"Mom!" Stephanie rushed over and shoved the man.

"Nice try." He laughed, barely phased.

"What's going on?" Stephanie wondered as her eyes shook in shock. "Am I not as strong as I used to be…?"

"Get out of the way I said!" Chris barked again as he tackled the man from behind and they began to tussle.

"Mom, are you alright?" Stephanie begged.

"I'll be fine…" Linda cringed, tears at the corners of her eyes. Stephanie's heart wrenched seeing her this way, she never wanted something like this to happen, ever, especially not to her.

"Cuff him boys." Chris stood with his foot over the man as more security guards appeared and took him away into custody. He then walked over to Linda and Stephanie. "Hey, are you guys alright?"

"Yes…" Linda put up a front.

"No." Stephanie choked.

"Huh?" Linda and Chris turned to her.

"It's not okay…" Stephanie was almost crying. "What happened back there? That's not like me. My mom is always my first priority, and she got hurt… and I wasn't able to help her." She looked at her hands as they shook with her flowing emotion. "I'm not as strong as I used to be, something's happened to me… I'm not who I was anymore…!" Linda and Chris were shocked, neither of them had ever seen Stephanie like that! Stephanie sighed to herself as she thought, "Is it like Sable said, is it because I fell in love?"

"Come on, let's get you to the trainer." Chris looked down at Linda who held the side of her face which was starting to badly bruise from where the man had hit her.

"Chris?" Stephanie looked up once the trainer had fixed Linda and left. "Can you leave me and my mom alone please?"

"Sure." Chris nodded and left, closing the door behind him. Stephanie sighed and sat down.

"What's wrong Stephanie?" Linda asked, turning to her, bandages on her side of her face.

"It's just that…." Stephanie sighed. "I dunno…" Linda watched as Stephanie pulled the chained ring out of her pocket and held it tightly as she looked at the make up box that was next to it in the bag. "Is it because…." She turned away, her voice choking. "Over the years, I've lost who I was, I'm not as strong anymore… Sable was right, I should've never fallen in love! You got hurt, dad nearly died, and now who knows what could happen next! I can't do this anymore, I can't be the leader I know you want me to be!"

"Stephanie…" Linda watched her daughter cry, something she hadn't seen her do in YEARS, and she felt bad.

"I wanted to give this to Chris, as a symbol of my love for him, love, something I shouldn't ever have had, love, what has caused all of this. But if I follow my heart, bad things will happen, and I don't want them to happen to Chris!" Linda sighed as she looked at her.

Later, in the courtyard….

Chris sighed as he sat on the bench, "This isn't right." He was thinking to himself.

"Hello there Chris."

"Huh?" He looked up to see somebody standing there. "Stephanie."

"I'm glad you're here." She sat down with a smile. "We have to talk."

"Sure…" He gulped slightly.

"Chris there was something, that I'd wanted to give you, the other day…" She opened her purse reluctantly. "I wanted you to have this ring, as a promise, from me to you…" She handed it over.

"Wow, thank you." He put it over his neck and looked down at it. He turned to her but his smile fade when he saw her staring off into the distance. "Stephanie…?"

Stephanie sighed, "Chris, there's something that's been on my mind for a long time… I have a plan to stop the fighting, it will make everyone happy." She turned to him. "All both you and I have ever wanted was to be who we're meant to be, you a wrestler, me to live a normal life. You and I have been together for a few years now, and, you're still under a WCW contract. It's only temporary, it can be voided if either side chooses. For some reason they haven't acted against you yet, after all that you've done for me, and our company, so, I'm thinking…"

"I know what you're thinking." Chris cut her off, and she turned to him. "I honestly don't know why I haven't switched over, but, I know that if I do that something might happen. They know I've been fighting them on your side, they know I've been hanging around you constantly, helping you and your family and everyone in the WWE."

"Chris, don't you see, they know they'll loose and they're afraid. You have to think about yourself and save yourself."

"But, you… they…"

"They don't matter. If you're worried about me, then be with me. Here, in the WWE."

"But, I…" Chris didn't understand, he looked at the ring, it couldn't be this easy could it?

"All my life I wanted to be a normal girl, but I'm a McMahon, and this is my destiny. If you join us, then WCW will surely fall, and the war will end, and my mom can lead the WWE and I can be happy and be normal who I am, who I wanted to be"

"I always wanted to be a pro-wrestler. I didn't care about anyone else other than myself… but that all changed when I met you, I wanted to help you, and your family. I wanted to be in the WWE, but, I didn't want the other side to hurt you, like they hurt your parents."

"So then would you? Would you become a WWE wrestler, for yourself…? For me?"

Chris's eyes shook, this was a dream come true, "Only, only if, you can be happy, to make you what you want to be, normal, to make you happy."

Stephanie smiled, "It will make me happy Chris."

"Then I agree."

"Oh Chris…." Stephanie beamed.

Chris smiled back warmly, "Come on, I'm going to the hotel to make a phone call." He stood up and they walked off together.

Late that afternoon, as the sun was setting….

Chris and Stephanie walked out of the hotel with a smile on their face, Chris had resigned with Eric Bishoff and the WWE. All they had to do now was go back to the headquarters and write up a contract to sign. But they took a detour, there was a big lake in the park down the road and they decided to take a romantic ride, they were just so happy. As the sun began to sink lower and lower, they figured it would be best to head back now, so Chris rowed them to shore. They smiled, the words he spoke earlier in both their minds, 'I agree, I'll do it, for you, for us, to make everyone happy….' Chris tied the rowboat to the little dock.

"Ah!" Stephanie slipped on the boat as she went to step out and grabbed Chris's shirted chest to hang on. She froze and realize what she'd done and looked up. Chris looked down at her and drew her into a hug. She closed her eyes, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Chris spoke softly. "We should be happy. I'm becoming a WWE superstar, you're going to be normal like you wanted. I'm doing this for you, so we can be…"

"Stop."

"For everyone, and us…."

"Sh." Stephanie looked up and put a finger on his soft warm lips. "That's all I need to hear."

"Stephanie… I really truly and deeply do lo…" Chris couldn't finish, his mouth was just too inviting for hers to resist, their lips met in their first kiss. Chris felt his body go limp as Stephanie's body went numb, it was the most magical moment they both had ever lived, they seemed to be floating in an eternity of happiness, a perfectly wonderful joy. They go back to the headquarters and draw up a contract, both signing it. "Tomorrow." Chris speaks up. "Tomorrow let's meet again."

"Alright." Stephanie smiles. "And, there's something I want to do… Chris. You've done more for this company than any other superstar. My dad has Triple H as the champion, but, now as a WWE superstar, I think you deserve it more than he ever has."

Chris's eyes widened, "Are you serious? You're kidding me! You have to!"

"No way, I'm not." Stephanie smiled. "Are you happy?"

Chris choked, "Very!"

"Good, I'm glad." Stephanie laughed. "Because, so am I." They smiled deeply into each others eyes. "I'll call you okay?"

"Alright." Chris nodded and kissed her. "Good night." He left. As he walked home he felt the ring strung around his neck and he smiled, he walked past a jewelers and stopped to look in the window. He grinned as he saw what he wanted and went inside. What he was looking at on the display case was a beautiful gold ring with a ping gem on it. He knew it wasn't as beautiful as Stephanie, but he couldn't buy a thing in the world to match that. He left the store and looked down to see it on the necklace next to his, he tucked it under his shirt and smiled, tomorrow morning he would give it to Stephanie, as a promise.

That night…

Stephanie was sitting in her room when her cell phone rang, "Hello?"

"Hey it's me. Chris."

"Chris?" Stephanie blinked

"Sorry, my cell is charging, I had to call you on the hotel phone."

She paused, "Wait, are you smoking? You sound kinda funny."

"Yeah, sorry. It's my last one, I swear! Look, tomorrow I can't wait till the afternoon, I want to see you first thing in the morning."

"Alright, and I'll bring you the title."

"The title? Are you sure…?"

"Yes Chris of course, I'm in charge now, until the war is over at least. I know my dad won't like it, nor will Triple H, but it's going to make me happy."

"And, I want you to be happy. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Nothing will go wrong, everything's going to be fine. I have the belt in my office, come by in the morning and we can talk everything out."

"Alright."

A wicked smile in darkness…

Early that morning…

Stephanie woke up at the crack of dawn and started to leave the house, she was walking down the hall when a small voice stopped her, "Stephanie?"

"What?" She turned to see her mom half asleep.

"Where are you going?"

"To the office, I have some things I have to hurry and take care of."

Linda hesitated, she wanted to say something else but all that came out was, "Alright, just be careful."

"I will mom." Stephanie smiled, it seemed to last a very long time to Linda but really it was only a few seconds. Stephanie left.

"Bye, Stephanie…" Linda sighed, she felt very strange. She wanted Stephanie to stay, but there was something in the air, something… was wrong…

Stephanie drove to the building and looked around, "Chris isn't here yet. Silly guy probably slept in." She opened the doors and went inside. She walked down to her office but stopped, she turned and saw the bathroom. She went inside, leaving the door open and walked in front of the mirror. She opened her purse and took out the little make up kit. She rolled the lip stick and went to raise it to her lips. But right as she did, a man jumped out of the shadows and attacked her, hitting her upside the head with something, the force of the blow throwing her down against the toilet. "Ah!" She gasped in horrible pain, she'd hit her shoulder and her head hit the corner of the wall and the tile floor. She shook as she put her hand on her arm and revealed blood. She looked up, her vision blurry from the blow to the head and gasped as she saw a back to her, a man with long blonde hair holding the WWE title, the ring not around his neck. "C-Chr…"

"Thanks for the title you fool, I'll take good care of it, thanks. I never had any intention of joining you, I can tear up that contract and run back to Ted Turner with this gold, I'll be treated like a hero and the WWE will fail." The voice snickered, she could barely hear him, her ears were ringing and his voice sounded like an echo. "And don't bother putting on that make up, it won't help you anymore anyway…" He ran off. Stephanie is crushed.

"What… Chris? But… how, why…" Her eyes fluttered and she passed out.

He walked back to the office and put the title down on her desk. He turned around, wearing a black lucha libre mask to cover his face, but the long blonde locks were a dead giveaway. But now it was time for part two of the closing act…

Later, after opening hours…

"Where is she?" Chris paced on the steps.

"Morning, you're here early Chris." One of the men smiled.

"Have you seen Stephanie?"

"No I'm afraid not."

"I hope she's okay." Chris began to worry as he followed the man inside. More people began to come and get to work. "I'll go to her office and wait there…" He went and found it empty, but the title was on the table. He picked it up, and simply holding it next to him seemed like such a surreal dream come true. He smiled, but just then something flew right past him. "Huh? What the..." He looked down at the chair on the ground and then turned slowly to the door, wide eyed as he saw… "Stephanie…!'

"Die, you vile WCW dog!" She spat coldly, her eyes full of tears.

"What, Stephanie!" Chris was in shock. She painfully picked up a stool by the door, but before she could throw it, Chris ran off. "Stephanie, how could you betray me like that! I thought you… I said that I loved…" He choked and looked down at what he held, the WWE title. "I'll just take this then…" He starts to run away.

Down at the end of the hall a man was walking, he stopped and turned. It was Triple H. He was very angry that Stephanie McMahon, a woman he once loved, had betrayed his trust in her family and taken the title away from him, a title that he earned and was rewarded by her father, a title that she was going to give to somebody just because she loved him and he had helped her, he didn't work for it. He no longer loved her anymore. Next to him Ric Fair stepped up, they both had noticed the commotion, but Triple H just turned and walked away.

"Shouldn't we help?" Ric asked but got no reply, so he ran after Triple H.

Chris ran to the arena, "Nobody is here yet, she'll never think to find me here."

"Is that a fact, you WCW dog."

"What?" Chris turned and gasped. Impossible! "You sure are persistent."

"You can't loose me like that."

"I meant what you called me, you said you'd never call me that again!"

"And you said that you, that, you…" Stephanie couldn't speak, she was tearing up. "Take this!" She grabbed a trash can and threw it at him, but Chris dodged and ran off. He ran back out of the arena and to the bar across the street.

He panted as he slunk down against the wall behind a table, "She'll never think to look for me in here."

"You forget yourself again."

"Huh!"

"You obviously didn't know me at all."

"Stephanie!" Chris stood up.

"Bad move, you fool." Her eyes flashed, "NOW DIE!" She picked up a fire extinguisher and threw it so it landed painfully against his ribs, it hit the rings around his neck.

"Ah!" The wind was knocked out of him and he slunk back down limply, panting for air. "Why Stephanie…" He coughed as his vision began to blur. "We were going to be happy, but you had to stab me in the back, even after, when I said that I…" He fainted.

"You, had to betray me. Sable was right, I should've never listened to my heart…:" Stephanie thought behind tears. She looked down and saw the ring around his neck and she felt her heart hurt. "Oh…" She sighed painfully as she began to fall.

"Steph!" Linda gasped, she ran in and caught her, her face still bandaged. "Stephanie! Stephanie!" She had arrived at the office when Chris started to run away, so she followed, knowing that something was wrong. She looked at Chris, what was going on.


	4. Epilogue

Time passes,and now it is a few months into the year 2000…

Linda McMahon sat at her desk, staring down at her work as she remembers all that has gone by. The Monday Night Wars were over, leaving them, the WWE, as the victors. They'd even taken in some WCW superstars as employees, but that decision would become questionable later. Chris Jericho was never given the WWE title, it remained with Triple H after all, but he was still angry. She sat and sighed in thought. Chris had become a WWE superstar, but every night he would go to a bar and sit on the floor drinking his pain and sorrows away, his personality had changed drastically and he had become very depressed with agony. Stephanie had been so sad and was so badly hurt that she'd gone into a slight coma. Shane had gone to Canada to help with things up there with Mr. Stratus so he'd never got involved. But Linda couldn't help but wonder, wonder why. If Chris and Stephanie hated each other so much, why didn't Stephanie tear up the contract? And why didn't Chris take the title to WCW while he had it? Stephanie and Chris could've practically killed each other, yet they spared each others lives… why was that? Linda sighed and went back to work, maybe she would never understand completely…

About 14 years ago, in California…

"It's a boy, my second grandchild!" Grandma cheered outside the hospital room for joy as her daughter had given birth in the room on the other side.

Dad was pacing back and forward eagerly outside the maternity ward in the hall and finally the doctor came out, "Well?"

He sighed in hesitation, "I'm sorry Mr. Ketchum, but, I'm afraid we lost her…." Those words left Mr. Ketchum in shock. "There were complications, and, we did all we could, we tried, but, but we were able to save the baby." He held up the sleeping child safely. "She, she called him George, just before she died…." He handed the bundle to him and he held it closely as grandma gasped in horror. "I'm, so sorry…"

"George, you're all I have left now…" Mr. Ketchum sobbed quietly into him.

"You are as much my son as she was my daughter, I will help you take care of him." Grandma hugged him.

About a month later….

Kari watched as her dad raced around the house, "I have to go to the store after work. Grandma will be watching your brother again today. I'm afraid I don't have time for you anymore." He told the young girl. "Not to sound neglecting, things are just hard now, being mom and dad." He looked around and turned on the television, "Here you like wrestling don't you? I won't be able to watch with you as often as before, but I guess I can have the TV raise you for a while… at least until you start school." He left as Kari turned to the set inventively in awe. Hulk Hogan was being cheered as he defeated the Ultimate Warrior. Kari smiled and laughed, she really liked wrestling, she loved it a lot.

**A/N:** _For full story, see "A Combating Feud And Fairytale"... this was the prequal. Thankies_


End file.
